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' 2 Sheets-Sheet I. M. MOOORMIOK & 1E. PARISH. SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.-

NO. 398,067; Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

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M; MQOORMIOK & F. PARISH.

' SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

JRVMI' UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL MCCORMICK AND FREDERICK FARISH, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO MICHAEL DONNELLEY, OF

SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,067, dated February 19, 1889.

Serial No. 274,557. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ll/IICHAEL MCCORMICK, brakeman, and FREDERICK FARISH, carpenter, both of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have jointly invented a certain new and Improved Signaling Device for Railway-Trains, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to design a simple and effective device for signaling the engine-driver and conductor should any portion of a railway-train become detached, or what is commonly termed break loose, and it consists, essentially, in placing a signalboard at some conspicuous point on the car vand connecting the said signal-board by a chain or rod, or both, to a weight or weights hooked onto or otherwise supported by the car next to the car on which the signal-board is placed, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a freightcar provided with our break-loose danger-signal, showing the signal-board exposed at Dan ger. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a flat car provided with our improved break-loose dangersignal in its normal position.

It is well known to all railroad-men that the bell-cord constantly breaks or becomes disarranged, so that in the event of a break loose the engine-driver does not receive the signal of the accident; but by our invention we provide an effective substitute for the bellcord by which the conductor in the van as well as the driver in the cab is instantly notified should any portion of the train break away.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

A represents alight strong box firmly fixed to the top of the car B, near its side. This boxis made sufficiently large to contain a signal-board, C, and a lamp, D, flexibly suspended from the said signal-board. It will be noticed that the signal-board C is attached to the door E, hinged to the box A, and having a weight, F, placed on it, so that when not otherwise held open the weight shall hold the door E closed. It will also be noticed that the door E is divided into two parts, E and E, the part E being hinged tothe portion of the door marked E, and is intended to act as a storm-shade when the signal is elevated in the position shown in Fig. 1.

G are chains connected to the signal-board C, and, after passing around the pulleys H, extend to the opposite ends of the car. Instead of having the chains G all the way to the ends of the car, we prefer to insert a bar, I, which we carry in suitable bearings, J. On. the outer ends of each of the chains G we attach a Weight, K. We also provide a hook, L, by which the weight K may be suspended on an eye, M. When the cars are coupled, the weight on each chain is suspended on an eye, M, attached to the next car. It will be observed that the weight K is suspended from the end of the shank of the hook L, and that the chain G is connected to the head of the said hook, and that when hooked on the eye M the back of the hook L faces the chain it is attached. to. So long as the weight is suspended by its hook the door E E will remain closed, and the signal-board will be hidden from view; but should the car become detached from any accidental cause the chain G will cause the hook L to be pulled out of the eye M, permitting the weight to fall, and as the said weight is sufiiciently heavy for the purpose it draws on the chain G, pulls down the inner end of the signalboard C, and thereby throws the said board, with the door E, out, placing the said board in such a position that it will be instantlyseen by both the driver in the cab and conductor in the van. At night the lamp D will be lighted, and will act in the place of the signal-board.

Each car may be provided with an independent signal, and each signal may be provided with two chains extending to the opposite ends of the car; but the object of our invention would be secured by placing the signal on every second car.

When the signal is applied to a fiat car the chain is carried on the bottom of the car, as indicated in Fig. 2.

WVhat we claim as our invention is- 1.. A signal placed at some conspicuous point on a railway-car, in combination with a chain having detachable connection with another car and connected with the signal-board of said signal, a hook connected with one end. of said chain, and a weight carried by said hook, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A box, A, fixed in some conspicuous partof a car, and having a signa-l-liioard, C, fixed to its hinged door E, in combination with a chain, G, having detachable connection with another car, and one end of which is connected to the signal-board O and its other end to the head of a hook, L, on the shank of which the weight K is suspended, the whole being arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. A box, A, lixed in some conspicuous part of a car, and having a signal-board, O, fixed 'to its hinged door 1*),011 which. the weight F is attached, in. combination with a chain, G, having detachable connection with. another car, and one end of which is connected to the door 0 and its other end connected to the head of a hook, L, on the shank of which the weight K is suspended, the whole being arranged substz'rntially as and for the purpose specified.

i. A box, A, iixcd in. some cons iiicuous part of a car, and having a signal-hoard, (l, fixed to its hinged weighted door E, and a door, E, hinged to the door E, in combination with the chain G, having detachable connection with another car, and one end of which is connected to the door 0 and its other end connected to the head of a hook, 11,011 the shank of which the weight K is suspended, the whole being arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. A box, A, fixed in some conspicuous part of a car, and having a lamp, D, suspein'lied from it, and a hinged portion, E, of the door E, in combination with a chain, G, havin detachable connection with another car, and on 0 end of which is connected to an inner projection on the door E and its other end connected to the head of a hook, 1], on the shank of which tl'leweight K is suspended, the whole being arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Tloronto, April 6, 1888.

MIG] I'A'E'L MUCORM I( 3K. FREDERICK FA'RIS] I'.

In presence of Cannons C. BALDWiN, CHAS. ii. Rionns. 

